28 Days of 'Mania: Why Is Edge a Hall of Famer Now?

Disclaimer: This will be an ongoing series for the next 28 days leading up to the biggest event in sports entertainment, WrestleMania 28. The idea behind the piece is to build more momentum for the event and give you, the Bleacher Report fan, a chance to read, comment and weigh in with opinions about the WWE, the business and the event. It is my hope this becomes something positive and we all enjoy the ride for the next four weeks to Miami and the biggest event of the wrestling year. Enjoy.

WrestleMania is an experience. The Hollywood-like atmosphere, the stars who come to see the venue. The build up and promotion of the matches and the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

I'm perplexed at the selections of the WWE Hall of Fame this year, how someone like Koko B. Ware is in the Hall and Randy Savage is not is beyond me. And while I am not a politician (because politics is involved in every selection like this), I understand the desire to put someone like Edge in on the first ballot after his career was shortened by injury.

But there are others who are just as worthy. The argument could be made that Randy Savage is more worthy of an induction than Edge at this time, but that debate is for later when we all have something to gripe about. My article this time is simple and to the point, and thought of in the manner in which it is written.

Edge is worthy of Hall of Fame status. But he does not deserve to be in the wing with the greatest of all time just yet.

While Edge is one of the more important wrestlers and champions of the "Attitude Era," and one of the few who have made the transition from over the top antics to the more delicate "PG" Era, his success is not unique. And if it were not for an injury, he would be a champion again, feuding with the likes of Randy Orton, Mark Henry and Daniel Bryan.

We often complain when we have athletes who are honored for work that was not on par with others in their field, this is not the case.

Edge exceeded everything, and was one of the best in-ring performers of all time. But his time outside the ring should have proven to be one where it was too soon to anoint him "one of the best" ever.

His body of work is amazing, but he also has The Rock, HHH and Kane to be judged as his equals. None of them are close to being inducted into the prestigious building.

Edge is judged on his body of work that includes his time with Christian as one of the best tag teams of the generation, and his accomplishments as a singles champion.

If that is the case, then Lita and Trish Stratus deserve the same recognition for transcending the business and making the women's division as prominent as it ever had been. The same can be said for Sable for changing the landscape of women in wrestling.

No, I am not comparing Edge to these females, what I am saying is if Edge is so recognized for his achievements in an era where others were just as influential, then these women deserve a pass to the Hall right now as well.

And getting back to Randy Savage and his being excluded from recognition. Maybe that is the greatest injustice of them all. Savage helped make Hulk Hogan as much as any other wrestler in the 1980s.

Some could argue (myself included), that Savage and Roddy Piper were better workers, better wrestlers and could have carried this company if given the chance.

See, politics really does play a part in this process.

Hopefully, the future will see to it that Savage is honored as he should be. And don't get me wrong; Edge is deserving of his play in immortality. But when you look at everyone else still knocking on the door, the "Rated R Superstar" could have waited another year or two.